Merganser at Sanibel

[gail bisson]

1D MK IV
F 2.8 70-300 with 1.4X at 280mm
ISO 1000
D 1/640
F 5.0
HH and cropped by ~ 20%
Taken at Sanibel.
Comments and critiques always appreciated and learned from with thanks,
Gail

[Don Lacy]

NIce looking Merganser I like the raised crest and the look back pose The image as presented needs a touch of CCW rotation and maybe a bit more black and white point adjustments to give it a bit more pop on my monitor it looks just a tad washed out.

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Gail, the swimming away angle works here, as you have captured the head perfectly. The length of these guys bills amaze me. Good DOF and feather detail, and I like the spikey crest.

[Sachin Saraf]

These birds are skittish and even in this image I can clearly see how he is swimming away from you.

You captured nice head turn good DOF, nice and sharp bird. Great job.

[gail bisson]

NIce looking Merganser I like the raised crest and the look back pose The image as presented needs a touch of CCW rotation and maybe a bit more black and white point adjustments to give it a bit more pop on my monitor it looks just a tad washed out.
Hi Don,
I was going to add a bit more blacks in the neutrals and blacks but I wanted to keep the image soft and ethereal looking so left it as is. Will see what the rest of the crew have to say!
Gail

[gail bisson]

Here is repost with more POP!

[Juan Carlos Vindas]

Hi Gail!
to me, the repost works best, let's see if I can explain myself. In your first post the bird is washout and there is too much white around it. But in the repost, eventhoug there is a lot of white around it, with a darker bird in the frame the eye goes there. I also like the raised crest and the eye contact.

[Dave Leroy]

I prefer the second although I cannot see a lot of difference. You really got nice and close to birds that are very shy around here. I like that and good for you. A small thing but there are a few small white spots starting at three o'clock and then a few more at about same radius going up that I would clone out.
That lens confused me for a bit. I guess it must be 70/200/2.8 plus 1.4TC or am I wrong.

[Karl Egressy]

Nice looking Merganser,like the looking back pose and like the water.

[Melissa Groo]

The head angle really accentuates how long that bill is! Amazing. Nice look back, great DOF, and I like the comp. I would get rid of those white spots too, the bright ones below as well as the fainter ones above.I like your repost better.

[gail bisson]

Hi Dave,
Sorry for the typo. You are correct re: 70-200mm.
And thank you for pointing out the white spots Dave and Melissa. I am ashamed to say I didn't even notice them until you pointed them out.Here is a final repost with a multiply blend mode on the bird only to make it pop a bit more, spots cloned out and slight CCW rotation.

[Randy Stout]

Gail:

I remember this guy well. The soft feel in the original image is really like it was that day, but I can see why people want a bit more pop for it. Always a challenge for the photographer, what they remember vs. what others would like to see.

I sometimes have an image I love because it reminds me so much of that day, yet the rest of the folks who weren't there, don't get the same vibe and prefer it some other way.

You did a great job working this fellow, wading out after him! I have a picture of that, but my shooting position didn't give you the best head angle!

Cheers

Randy

[Robert Holguin]

Wonderful shot. Great look back pose and head angle, excellent detail, and great comp.
Well done.